Maintenance vehicle

ABSTRACT

A rideable, short-turning radius vehicle is provided primarily for golf course green maintenance. The vehicle body is in two parts, the accessory retaining section and the driving and steering section. The body parts are connected in a unique pivotting arrangement that permits the vehicle to make extremely short radius turns. The driving and steering section has mounted thereon a driving engine, driveable wheels, and a seat. The pivotting connection between the two body sections causes the driver and the engine to turn as a unit with the front end of the body. The accessory retaining section of the body may be raised and lowered by power means to vary the height of the accessories above the ground.

United States Patent [191 Ekas [11] 3,771,618 [451 Nov. 13, 1973MAINTENANCE VEHICLE [76] Inventor: Frank Ekas, Sarver, Pa.

[22] Filed: Mar. 22, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 237,019

[52] U.S. Cl 180/42, 180/52, 280/4323,

180/66 R [51] Int. Cl B60k 17/30 [58] Field of Search 180/11,12,l3,14,180/26, 52, 42, 66 R; 280/4323; 56/7, 14.8, 16.7, 17.1

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 652,673 6/1900 Greffe 180/522,725,703 12/1955 Roseman,Jr.....

408,229 8/1889 Frazier 180/52 3,097,465 7/1963 Williams.... 3,299,9821/1967 Bacon 180/52 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 631,960 1211961Canada 180/52 Primary Examiner1(enheth H. Betts Assistant ExaminerJ. M.McCormack A!t0rneyGeorge Raynovich, J r.

[57] ABSTRACT A rideable, short-turning radius vehicle is providedprimarily for golf course green maintenance. The vehicle body is in twoparts, the accessory retaining section and the driving and steeringsection. The body parts are connected in a'unique pivotting arrangementthat permits the vehicle to make extremely short radius turns. Thedriving and steering section has mounted thereon a driving engine,driveable wheels, and a seat. The pivotting connection between the twobody sections causes the driver and the engine to turn as a unit withthe front end of the body. The accessory retaining section of the bodymay be raised and lowered by power means to vary the height of theaccessories above the ground.

8 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PAIENTED luv 3 I973 3.771.618 SHEET 10F 3PATENTED NEW 1 3 I975 SHEET 3 BF 3 MAINTENANCE VEHICLE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION In golf green maintenance, the greens must be cut daily undermany circumstances. In order to cut the greens daily and yet not damagethem, various types of equipment have been provided. Hand cutting of thegreens is laborious, time consuming, and expensive.

The present invention is directed to a vehicle that is primarilyutilized for golf course green maintenance. The vehicle of the presentinvention can carry and drive three mower heads to cut the grass onv thegolf course green. The vehicle is equipped with balloon type tires andhas an extremely short-turning radius so that it may cut the small areaof golf course green.

The vehicle is provided with a power unit to raise and lower the-rearchassis of the vehicle to thereby move the mower heads out of engagementwith the ground.

Although designed primarily for use in mowing the golf course greens,the vehicle may also be utilized with other types of accessoriesofaerate, verti-cut, or spike the greens or to fertilize them.

SUMMARY The present invention is directed to a short-turning radiusvehicle having body parts which pivot relative to each other. A steeringgear is provided to pivot the parts relative to each other and permitextremely short radius turns.

The vehicle is small and compact. It is preferably driven by aneighthorsepower engine.

With the foregoing considerations in mind, it is an object of thepresent invention to provide an improved maintenance vehicle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a short turningradius vehicle which has a power raisable chassis.

These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent asthis description proceeds in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the vehicle ofthe present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the vehicle of FIG. 1 with certain partsremoved for clarity.

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view to an enlarged scale of the steeringmechanism shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, thereis shown a vehicle having a first body member and a second body member12. The first body member 10 has an accessory retaining frame 14 formedof structural steel. A forwardly extended chassis member 16 extends fromthe accessory retaining frame 14 and is fixed thereto.

Fixed to the forward end of chassis member 16 is a steering gear 17 asis best seen in FIG. 3. At the rear end of body member 10 wheels 18 aresupported on the body. The wheels 18 are each rotatably attached to arms20 which extend forwardly from the wheels 18 to a pivotting rod 22 towhich they are non-rotatably connected. The pivotting rod 22 has a crank24 fixed to its center portion and extends vertically therefrom as isbest seen in FIG. 1. Together, the arms 20, the pivotting rod 22, andthe crank 24, form a bell crank memher which is utilized to raise andlower the accessory frame 14 relative to the wheels 18.

A hydraulic power cylinder 26 is fixed between the chassis member 16 andthe crank 24 to rotate the bell crank member about pivotting rod 22 andthereby raise and lower the frame 14 relative to wheels 18. The powercylinder 26 has a piston 28 which'extends therefrom to cause therotational movement of the bell crank member.

The second body member 12 has mounted thereon a driving engine 30 whichis preferably an 8 horsepower gasoline internal combustion engine. Alsopositioned on second body member 12 are driving wheels 32 on axle 32a.The engine 30 and driving wheels 32 are conventionally connected to eachother through a belt drive (not shown) and trans-axle (not shown) sothat the engine 30 drives wheels 32 in a conventional fashion.

Also fixed to the second body member 12 is a seat 34 and forward of seat34 is positioned a steering column 36. The steering column 36 isjournaled for rotation in a vertical position and has a steering wheel38 fixed thereon. The lower end of the steering column 36 has a steeringpinion 40 fixed thereto which meshes with steering gear 17 as is bestseen in FIG. 3. With the steering column 36 journaled in the second bodymember 12 and the steering gear 17 fixed to the first body member 10, itwill be seen that rotation of the steering wheel causes first bodymember 10 and second body member 12 to pivot relative to each otherabout axis A as shown in FIG. 3. It will further be noted that axis Aextends through axle 32a of the driving wheels 32 to permit short radiusturns.

The hydraulic pump 42 (FIG. 1) is driven by the driving engine 30 tosupply hydraulic fluid under pressure. A hydraulic reservoir 44 andhydraulic lines 46 make up a hydraulic circuit to actuate power cylinder26 to raise and lower the accessory retaining frame 14. The hydrauliccircuit is controlled by a foot operated control (not shown).

The first body member 10 has an auxiliary engine 48 positioned thereon.The auxiliary engine 48 is fixed to an auxiliary engine mount 48a whichextends to the rear of accessory frame 14. The auxiliary engine 48 isutilized to drive accessories carried by the vehicle. Mower frames 50arepartially shown in FIG. 2 to illustrate where grass mowers may bepositioned on the vehicle for mowing golf course greens. The mowerframes 50 carry grass mowers (not shown) which may be driven byauxiliary engine 48 through drive means 52 (FIG. 1).

In the operation of the vehicle, the steering wheel 38 may be rotated sothat the front portion of the body or second body member 12 rotatesthrough a range of at least relative to the rear portion of the body orfirst body member 10. This rotation is possible because the chassismember 16 extends forward and above drive wheels 32 so that the drivewheels 32 may pass rearwardly and under the chassis member 16 uponsevere pivotting of the two body parts relative to each other.

When the vehicle is utilized for cutting golf course greens, it isdriven straight across the green with the mower engaging the green. Whenthe edge of the green is reached, the power cylinder 26 is actuated tolift the accessory retaining frame 14 to raise the mowers 50 off theground. The vehicle is then driven off the green,

turned around, and as it again reaches the green, the mowers are loweredby use of the power cylinder 26.

Because of the extremely short radius turns which may be made with thisinvention, very little time is wasted in circling the green to obtainmower position on the green. Further, the vehicle has large balloontires which do not injure the ground or grass on the green nor do theymake the green uneven in any way.

Since the pivot axis A of the body members and 12 is located immediatelyabove axle 32a of the driving wheels 32, the wheel base of the vehicleis relatively short and the turning of the vehicle is eased due to theproximity of the pivot axis A and the axle 32a. The driving engine 30supplies power through a conventional power train to the driving wheels32. Even though the wheels 32 also steer the vehicle, they are fixedrelative to the engine 30 so that the drive train is simplified.

According to the provisions of the Patent Statutes, I have explained theprinciple, preferred construction, and mode of operation of my inventionand have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent itsbest embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that within thescope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwisethan as specifically illustrated and described.

What is claimed is:

l. A rideable, short-turning radius vehicle for golf course maintenancecomprising:

a. a first body member having 1. an accessory retaining frame,

2. a forwardly extending chassis member fixed to said frame and having asteering gear nonrotatably fixed to the forward end thereof,

3. a pair of non-driven wheels each rotatably mounted on a bell crankmember pivotally secured to said frame whereby rotation of said bellcrank member in opposite directions raises and lowers said framerelative to the ground, and

4. power means secured between said bell crank member and said frame toselectively actuate said bell crank member,

12. a second body member pivotally connected to the forward end of saidchassis member and having 1. an engine mounted thereon,

2. driving wheels mounted thereon and drivingly connectable to saidengine for operation of said vehicle,

3. a seat mounted thereon and fixed to move with said second bodymember,

4. a steering column rotatably received within said second body memberand having a steering pinion fixed thereto and meshing with said firstmember steering gear, and

5. means fixed to said steering column to turn it and thereby steer saidvehicle said chassis member and said driving wheels so positioned thatsaid driving wheels pass under said chassis member upon guiding saidvehicle through severe short radius turns.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said driving wheel axle is intersectedby the axis of the pivot point between said first and second bodymembers.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said second body member may pivot atleast relative to said first body member when said steering mechanism isturned through its full range of motion.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said power means between said bellcrank member and said frame is a hydraulic cylinder and piston actuatedby hydraulic fluid under pressure.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said first body member has anindependent auxiliary engine mounted thereon to power accessoriesretained on said frame.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said engine is mounted forward of saiddriving wheels and turns with said second body member when said vehicleis turned.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said steering gear and said steeringpinion mesh at a position forward of the pivot connection between saidfirst and second body members.

8. The vehicle of claim 4 wherein said engine operates a hydraulic pumpto pressurize fluid to actuate said hydraulic piston and cylinder aswell as driving said vehicle.

1. A rideable, short-turning radius vehicle for golf course maintenancecomprising: a. a first body member having
 1. an accessory retainingframe,
 2. a forwardly extending chassis member fixed to said frame andhaving a steering gear nonrotatably fixed to the forward end thereof, 3.a pair of non-driven wheels each rotatably mounted on a bell crankmember pivotally secured to said frame whereby rotation of said bellcrank member in opposite directions raises and lowers said framerelative to the ground, and
 4. power means secured between said bellcrank member and said frame to selectively actuate said bell crankmember, b. a second body member pivotally connected to the forward endof said chassis member and having
 1. an engine mounted thereon, 2.driving wheels mounted thereon and drivingly connectable to said enginefor operation of said vehicle,
 3. a seat mounted thereon and fixed tomove with said second body member,
 4. a steering column rotatablyreceived within said second body member and having a steering pinionfixed thereto and meshing with said first member steering gear, and 5.means fixed to said steering column to turn it and thereby steer saidvehicle said chassis member and said driving wheels so positioned thatsaid driving wheels pass under said chassis member upon guiding saidvehicle through severe short radius turns.
 2. a forwardly extendingchassis member fixed to said frame and having a steering gearnonrotatably fixed to the forward end thereof,
 2. driving wheels mountedthereon and drivingly connectable to said engine for operation of saidvehicle,
 2. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said driving wheel axle isintersected by the axis of the pivot point between said first and secondbody members.
 3. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said second body membermay pivot at least 160* relative to said first body member when saidsteering mechanism is turned through its full range of motion.
 3. a seatmounted thereon and fixed to move with said second body member,
 3. apair of non-driven wheels each rotatably mounted on a bell crank memberpivotally secured to said frame whereby rotation of said bell crankmember in opposite directions raises and lowers said frame relative tothe ground, and
 4. power means secured between said bell crank memberand said frame to selectively actuate said bell crank member, b. asecond body member pivotally connected to the forward end of saidchassis member and having
 4. a steering column rotatably received withinsaid second body member and having a steering pinion fixed thereto andmeshing with said first member steering gear, and
 4. The vehicle ofclaim 1 wherein said power means between said bell crank member and saidframe is a hydraulic cylinder and piston actuated by hydraulic fluidunder pressure.
 5. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said first body memberhas an independent auxiliary engine mounted thereon to power accessoriesretained on said frame.
 5. means fixed to said steering column to turnit and thereby steer said vehicle said chassis member and said drivingwheels so positioned that said driving wheels pass under said chassismember upon guiding said vehicle through severe short radius turns. 6.The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said engine is mounted forward of saiddriving wheels and turns with said second body member when said vehicleis turned.
 7. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said steering gear and saidsteering pinion mesh at a position forward of the pivot connectionbetween said first and second body members.
 8. The vehicle of claim 4wherein said engine operates a hydraulic pump to pressurize fluid toactuate said hydraulic piston and cylinder as well as driving saidvehicle.